Program Overview

Environmental Sciences Program

The Environmental Sciences program at Oregon State University offers a comprehensive curriculum that explores the complex relationships between human societies and the natural environment. The program is designed to provide students with a deep understanding of the environmental sciences, including the natural and social sciences, and to equip them with the skills and knowledge necessary to address the complex environmental challenges facing the world today.

Course Offerings

The program offers a wide range of courses that cover various aspects of environmental sciences, including:

• ENSC 003: Undergraduate Research
  • Engage in research activities appropriate to the discipline
  • Acquire skills, techniques, and knowledge relevant to the field of study
• ENSC 004: Internship
  • Provides basic personal and professional skills that can be used within and outside of a work setting
  • Guides students in building and maintaining positive professional relationships, networking/mentoring relationships, and enhances students' understanding of the connection between theory and practice in their respective disciplines
• ENSC 101: Environmental Sciences Orientation
  • Introduces the Environmental Sciences Program and related professional and educational opportunities
  • Emphasizes career skills, experiences, and pathways in the environmental sciences and allied fields
• ENSC 210: Environmental Earth Sciences
  • Explores earth hazards and earth resources through an environmental impact and societal relevance lens
  • Examines science concepts and theories including tectonic cycle, rock cycle, and climate and hydrological process
• ENSC 221: Environmental Field Studies
  • Introduces field studies in environmental sciences
  • Covers a series of hands-on activities that familiarize students with common skills, tools, and approaches for studying the environment
• ENSC 299: Special Topics
  • This course is repeatable for 16 credits
• ENSC 301: Environmental and Ecological Data Analysis
  • Develops experimental design, environmental monitoring, data analysis, and modeling techniques relevant to the environmental sciences
  • Uses publicly-available and student-collected datasets to run data analyses, create informative figures, and model effects of global change on biological communities
• ENSC 321: Environmental Case Studies
  • Develops professional and scientific writing abilities through the analysis of current issues in environmental science
  • Integrates and applies multiple aspects of environmental problem solving, including diagnosis of issues, articulation of solutions, and communication of recommendations in a policy or management context
• ENSC 333: Environmental Justice
  • Examines the uneven distribution of environmental resources, hazards, and risk among social groups and the emergence and historical context of the environmental justice movement in the United States
• ENSC 341: Tropical Ecology and Conservation
  • Examines the structure and function of tropical ecosystems, ranging from savannas to tropical rainforests to coral reefs
  • Explores the diversity of interactions in tropical ecosystems and explain how these interactions promote ecosystem functioning
• ENSC 399: Special Topics
  • This course is repeatable for 16 credits
• ENSC 401: Research and Scholarship
  • This course is repeatable for 24 credits
• ENSC 402: Independent Studies
  • This course is repeatable for 24 credits
• ENSC 403: Thesis
  • This course is repeatable for 24 credits
• ENSC 405: Reading and Conference
  • This course is repeatable for 16 credits
• ENSC 406: Projects
  • This course is repeatable for 24 credits
• ENSC 407: Seminar
  • This course is repeatable for 12 credits
• ENSC 408: Workshop
  • This course is repeatable for 12 credits
• ENSC 410: Environmental Science Internship
  • This course is repeatable for 48 credits
• ENSC 452: Environmental Assessment
  • Environmental site assessment is a primary tool for environmental science professionals
  • Apply environmental science concepts to evaluate features of a specific natural area and conduct a land suitability analysis
• ENSC 499: Special Topics
  • This course is repeatable for 16 credits
• ENSC 501: Research and Scholarship
  • This course is repeatable for 16 credits
• ENSC 503: Thesis
  • This course is repeatable for 999 credits
• ENSC 505: Reading and Conference
  • This course is repeatable for 16 credits
• ENSC 506: Projects
  • This course is repeatable for 16 credits
• ENSC 507: Seminar
  • This course is repeatable for 16 credits
• ENSC 508: Workshop
  • This course is repeatable for 16 credits
• ENSC 510: Internship
  • This course is repeatable for 12 credits
• ENSC 511: Global Environmental Change: Using Data to Inform Decisions
  • Empowers students interested in global change research to focus on the interactions between changes in human land use and climate
  • Using an innovative online data and mapping tool called Data Basin, students will explore topics accessing the highest quality datasets available in an all-in-one platform
• ENSC 515: Environmental Perspectives and Methods
  • Unique perspective or method each quarter
  • Possibilities include: remote sensing, modeling over a range of scales in time, space, and levels of system organization; and risk analysis
• ENSC 516: Using Best Practices in Environmental Project Management
  • Explore foundational project management concepts using a real world case-study to practice both soft and hard skills through individual and group assignments, discussions and presentations
  • Apply best practices, methodologies and tools using a global standards framework to achieve successful outcomes in environmental project management work
• ENSC 517: Environmental Management and Sustainability Assessment
  • Examines a range of methods for measuring and evaluating performance towards effective environmental management and sustainability goals
  • Evaluates tools for making sustainable decisions and understand the limitations of a variety of assessment approaches in different contexts
• ENSC 518: Environmental Data Management Systems
  • Explores how large amounts of environmental data are collected, maintained, reported, and utilized to analyze operational performance
  • Emphasizes the importance of data management systems and the role they play in organizational sustainability and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) goals
• ENSC 520: Environmental Analysis
  • Develop analytical thinking, explore analytical approaches, enhance writing skills, and gain experience in oral communication about environmental issues
• ENSC 540: Environmental Science Perspectives on the Future of Food
  • Examines the newest developments in environmental science research and on-the-ground best management practices for achieving food security and sustainability for growing U.S. and global populations in a dynamic environment and climate
• ENSC 541: Environmental Science, Scientists, and Sound Decisions
  • Focusing on analyzing the role of environmental science and scientists in decision-making in a variety of professional contexts at various scales (local through global) using a case-study approach and proposing a draft model process
• ENSC 542: Management Opportunities in the Nitrogen Cascade
  • Analyzes the environmental science behind reducing excess reactive nitrogen entering the environment through our provision of food, power, and transportation for future populations
  • Identifies emerging complementary suites of interventions and legislation innovating management practices at local, regional, national and international scales
• ENSC 543: Excelling in an Interdisciplinary Team
  • Identifying, examining and practicing the top skills, attributes and leadership dynamics involved in working in interdisciplinary environmental science teams in industry, government, and research organizations, informed by experienced experts across these areas
• ENSC 599: Selected Topics
  • This course is repeatable for 16 credits
• ENSC 601: Research and Scholarship
  • This course is repeatable for 16 credits
• ENSC 603: Thesis
  • This course is repeatable for 999 credits
• ENSC 605: Reading and Conference
  • This course is repeatable for 16 credits
• ENSC 606: Projects
  • This course is repeatable for 16 credits
• ENSC 607: Seminar
  • This course is repeatable for 16 credits
• ENSC 699: Selected Topics
  • This course is repeatable for 16 credits

Program Requirements

The program requires students to complete a minimum number of credits, including core courses, electives, and a thesis or project. The specific requirements may vary depending on the student's track or concentration.

Research Areas

The program offers research opportunities in a variety of areas, including:

• Environmental justice and policy
• Ecological conservation and management
• Climate change and sustainability
• Environmental health and risk assessment
• Water resources and management
• Soil science and conservation
• Air quality and pollution control
• Waste management and reduction
• Environmental education and outreach

Career Opportunities

Graduates of the Environmental Sciences program may pursue careers in a variety of fields, including:

• Government agencies (federal, state, and local)
• Private industry (consulting, manufacturing, and energy)
• Non-profit organizations (environmental advocacy and conservation)
• Education and research (universities, colleges, and research institutions)
• International organizations (United Nations, World Bank, and NGOs)